The NFL trade deadline came and went Tuesday, and the Patriots stayed on the sidelines.
Six deals were completed across the league before the 4 p.m. ET cutoff, but New England never jumped in. Despite weeks of buzz around the team, nothing came together at One Patriot Place, leaving Mike Vrabel’s group untouched by the deadline.
That means the Patriots remain a 5-4 team with no new outside additions and no outgoing trade. Their most recent roster move actually came a day earlier, when they released rookie tight end Tanner Arkin.
With the deadline passed, any help from outside now has to come through free agency, the waiver wire, or another team’s practice squad. The Patriots are also banking on some internal movement to help a roster that is now at 52 players after Arkin’s release.
There are reinforcements on the way. Offensive lineman Greg Van Roten had his 21-day return window opened last week, and the expectation is that wide receiver Romeo Doubs and left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker will be back soon as well. Both are eligible to return after the Patriots’ game against the Detroit Lions this week.
The injury picture is broader than just the players on injured reserve, too. Wide receiver A.J. Brown and running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are also dealing with injuries, and getting them back to full strength would give their position groups a lift.
Elsewhere around the league, the biggest move may have been the Minnesota Vikings landing quarterback Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders. That deal sends Cousins back to Foxborough later this season for a second meeting with New England. He already faced the Patriots in Week 5, when they were beaten 45-17, and now he is set to return in Week 14.
The deadline’s passing also changes the rules for players who are released. With the NFL trading window now closed until the start of the 2027 league year next March, every released player will go through waivers. Before the deadline, only players with fewer than four seasons had to clear waivers before reaching free agency.
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At the same time, DreMont Jones has quietly become one of the more encouraging additions, even if the box score has not always reflected it. His impact has shown up in ways that matter to the Patriots defense, and the next stretch could get even more interesting with injured offensive players Romeo Doubs and Alijah Vera-Tucker eligible to return after the Week 11 bye, giving the roster another chance to settle in. [Read more 🡒]
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Corey Kiner Suddenly Has A Real Opening In Patriots Backfield
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For an offense trying to keep Drake Maye from carrying too much of the load, Kiners emergence could be a useful pressure valve. The Patriots have been searching for steady answers on the ground, and his recent production has at least given them a reason to believe there is something worth building on if the opportunities keep coming. [Read more 🡒]